


Trust Issues

by 107thInfantry



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Irondad, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has Trust Issues, spiderson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:36:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28895226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/107thInfantry/pseuds/107thInfantry
Summary: “Tony, we’ve talked about this. He’s a kid. A kid who likes you.”“He’s a poor kid looking for a billionaire to take care of him. You think that orphan Annie would have stayed with that Warbucks dude if he were penniless?”Peter Parker and Tony Stark were getting along marvelously until Peter overheard something. Why doesn’t Tony trust him? With a little help and an explanation of Tony’s past betrayals from Natasha, Peter sets out to prove that he truly does love Tony as a father.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker & Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 21
Kudos: 108





	1. Overheard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Promise_Worthy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Promise_Worthy/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Writers Challenge](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28872297) by [Promise_Worthy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Promise_Worthy/pseuds/Promise_Worthy). 



> Inspired by Promise_Worthy’s post:
> 
> Can someone write a fanfic where Peter is trying to earn Tony's trust post Civil War and Homecoming? 
> 
> I can see Tony cares for Peter, deeply. But, with all the trauma that he's faced and the betrayals. I think that Tony would have even more trouble trusting after Cap failed to tell him about Bucky killing his parents. And I think it be nice to see Peter work for the trust as I never read a fanfic where he does this.

Peter was grateful. Truly grateful for everything that Mr. Stark had done for him. The new suit was stunning, the mentorship was very welcome, and despite the slightly over the top mothering, he loved the man like a father. So, imagine his surprise when he overheard the Iron Man suit as Tony left from one of their night time chats on a roof. Everyone always forgot about his super-hearing.

“That kid will be the death of me, Pepper. Three gunshots recorded on his suit, and when I mentioned it, he waved it off like it was nothing.”

“You can always ground him for a few days. May would be on board.”

“I’m not his damn father. Besides, he doesn’t even like me. That suits the only thing keeping him around. I take that away and he leaves or steals tech or betrays me.”

“Tony, we’ve talked about this. He’s a kid. A kid who likes you.”

“He’s a poor kid looking for a billionaire to take care of him. You think that orphan Annie would have stayed with that Warbucks dude if he were penniless?”

Then the suit had gotten too far away, its jet propulsion distorting anything he could hear. Peter sat on the roof, stunned. He kicked his metal encased legs over the side of the roof. How much had his suit even cost? How much money was he really taking from Tony Stark?

Peter texted May his location and sat there until morning. He texted her on his newest edition Stark phone, which didn’t help his head space at all. As the sun rose over the skyline, someone plopped down next to him.

“Tony’s moping and you’ve sat in this spot for longer than I thought possible,” said a female voice. “Mama spider is here to help.”

Peter turned his head to see Natasha Romanov sitting near him in street clothes. “I don’t even know you.”

“Really? Because I hear about you all the time. Spidey this and Spidey that. I’m basically a coparent for all Stark talks about you.”

“You’re an assassin,” said Peter suspiciously, still processing that Mr. Stark talked to other people about him.

“And I hear you have a Spidey tingle. Am I a threat?”

“I guess not.”

“Good, because I’m here to notify you that Tony is a ball of paranoia and if you overheard anything, it’s not your fault.”

“How the hell?” Peter sputtered 

“I’m a spy as well as an assassin. Call it a skill set.”

“Damn”

“Tony has been abducted in Afghanistan, lied to, betrayed, used, and all around messed over.”

“I didn’t know”

“It’s on Wikipedia.”

“Why would I google that?”

It suddenly occurred to Natasha just how young and trusting Spidey must be. He was smaller than the photos portrayed him to be. Yes he had a mentor, but she thought he would at least be an adult. His voice indicated otherwise.

“Just google it and we’ll talk, kid. That man has been through hell, but he does love you. I’m not about to see him mess that up over his own insecurities. And whatever you see, it’s on him for not telling you. You shouldn’t be expected to Wikipedia everyone you meet.”

“Okay. Thanks, Black Widow.”

“Call me Nat,” she answered, climbing carefully down the side of the building.

“Bye, Nat,” Spidey waved, lost in thought.


	2. The Past

After several hours of intense research and frustratingly conflicting sources, Peter decided just to bring it up with Aunt May.

“May, did you know that Mr. Stark got kidnapped for like months?” He asked, sitting on the couch where she was currently folding laundry.

“Of course. It was all over the news! Did you not know?”

“I think I was like eight years old.”

“Huh. You really did miss his partying phase didn’t you?”

“Partying?”

“Drugs, women, alcohol. I really am surprised that Tony made it out alive.” Then, more gently, she added, “it took a lot of willpower and guts to give up that life the way he did. They say he came back reformed after his kidnapping, but I think it was Pepper that really changed him.”

“I’m never letting him question my life choices again,” Peter rolled his eyes

Suddenly, Aunt May’s face got serious. “Peter, you had a very different childhood from Tony. His parents died and he had more money and power than he knew what to do with. That may not seem like a problem, but it certainly was one for him.”

Suddenly, Peter got to the point, stumbling over his words, “I overheard Mr. Stark say I was only sticking around for his money and Natasha said that he has trust issues and I do like Mr. Stark regardless of his money,” he took a breath. “Why doesn’t he trust me?”

Aunt May pulled Peter into a hug, “betrayals are hard to get over. Tony is an adult now, but I think he didn’t have enough time to be a child. Think how many people around him were there for his money and power. Obadiah and even the little sycophants that barely knew him. You know why he doesn’t trust you. It has nothing to do with you. What you need to know is how to get him to trust you.”

“How?” asked Peter, his head on Aunt May’s shoulder and the laundry forgotten.

“I don’t know. It depends on him as much as you, but showing up goes a long way.”

“Thanks Aunt May.”

“You’re welcome, honey.”

When Peter got back to his room, he opened up his phone to text Tony. Somehow, all of the Avenger’s numbers had been added to it including “Nat🕷” He scrolled past them and typed out a message.

Peter  
Can we talk?

A message came back immediately.

Tony  
Tomorrow. 8pm

With that, Peter collapsed into his bed. Waiting only a day to chat with a billionaire was a miracle, but waiting a day to chat with your father figure was painful.

Peter’s stomach hurt and he tried not to think about why. He tried not to think about how stupid he was to cry about not getting to talk to someone who clearly didn’t trust him. Did he really think he was more important than whatever the Avengers were doing? He thought about all the people who had it worse, but that didn’t make his situation better. When Nat peered in his window much later that night, she could still make out his tear streaked pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my first angst fic. Let me know if you have any tips!😂

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Fair warning, I post short chapters on no particular schedule. Thanks to Promise_Worthy for the prompt!


End file.
